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Mayor John Keis <br />City of Little Canada <br />515 Little Canada Road East <br />Little Canada, MN 55117-1600 <br />Dear Mayor Keis and members of the Little Canada City Council, <br />The Association for Nonsmokers – Minnesota (ANSR) supports your efforts to end indoor <br />tobacco sampling in your community. Prohibiting sampling levels the playing field for all tobacco <br />retailers in Little Canada. It also protects workers and neighboring businesses. Many Minnesota <br />cities prohibit sampling in an effort to uphold clean indoor air standards for all Nearby cities that <br />have ended indoor tobacco sampling include Arden Hills, Brooklyn Center, Falcon Heights, <br />Golden Valley, Mounds View, New Brighton, Roseville, Shoreview, and St. Paul to mention a <br />few. <br />In addition to the well-established hazards of secondhand smoke exposure, cigar and hookah <br />lounges provide a bar-like atmosphere, and have created significant issues with overcrowding, <br />late-night noise, and increased law enforcement activities. <br />ANSR also strongly supports your efforts to reduce the number of licensed tobacco retailers in <br />your city. By including a provision to not issue any new tobacco licenses in your ordinance, your <br />city is poised to adopt one of the strongest tobacco licensing ordinances in the state. The <br />location and density of tobacco retailers influences tobacco use among residents. Research <br />shows that youth who live or attend school in neighborhoods with the highest density of tobacco <br />retailers have higher smoking rates. Further, tobacco retailers are often concentrated in <br />communities at higher risk for adverse health outcomes, compounding existing health disparitie. <br />Cities in Minnesota that have capped their tobacco licensing ordinance are Bloomington, <br />Brooklyn Center, Excelsior, Golden Valley, New Hope, Roseville, and St. Paul. <br />ANSR is happy to provide any technical assistance you might require as this important <br />ordinance moves forward. Thank you for your work to protect the health of Little Canada’s <br />citizens, workers, and visitors. <br />Sincerely, <br />Jeanne Weigum <br />President, Association for Nonsmokers – Minnesota <br />Association for Nonsmokers-Minnesota |www.ansrmn.org | 651.646.3005 <br />2395 University Ave. W. Suite 310, St. Paul, MN 55114